Magnetic data eraser

ABSTRACT

The present invention relates providing a magnetic data eraser that is capable of performing magnetizing process for magnetizing magnetic recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) is easily and with reduced electric power. 
     The magnetic data eraser includes: holding drawer means for holding a magnetic recording medium which means has a mounting tray for mounting the magnetic recording medium, wherein the mounting tray is inclined a predetermined value of degrees of angle; and magnetizing means for magnetizing the magnetic recording medium, wherein the magnetizing means is covered by a magnetizing coil and has a hollow body portion, the holding drawer means being accommodated in the hollow body portion, and the magnetic recording medium being placed on the mounting tray of the holding drawer means.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application is based on and claims priority from JapanesePatent Application Number 2010-109909, filed May 12, 2010, thedisclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein itsentirety.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. The Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a magnetic data eraser that isconfigured to erase magnetic data stored in a magnetic recording mediumsuch as a hard disk drive.

2. Description of the Prior Arts

Nowadays, when a magnetic disk drive (hereinafter, it is exemplified bya hard disk drive) is intended to be discarded after it has beenfinished to be used in an office of a company or by an individualperson, magnetic data should be erased by formatting the hard diskdrive, for example, upon a request from an operating system in acomputer while the hard disk drive is connected to the computer, inorder to conceal the magnetic data stored in the hard disk drive from athird person, i.e., an unrelated person.

However, in the above mentioned method, only a management region of thehard disk which manages arrangement of magnetic information on the harddisk and the like may be erased, and actual magnetic information isremained on the hard disk. Thus, for example, a method for erasinginformation stored in the magnetic disk drive has been accepted to becarried out with applying magnetic force generated by an electromagneton the magnetic disk drive.

Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2007-66439 discloses an inventionrelating to a data eraser that performs data erasing process with asimple operation to prevent the magnetic data stored in the magneticrecording medium to be discarded from leaking, in particular disclosesan invention relating to a data eraser that performs data erasingprocess by applying horizontal magnetic field from a magnet on themagnetic recording medium.

However, recently a perpendicular magnetic recording method becomes tobe adopted, and in the perpendicular magnetic recording, magnetic fieldbeing in a perpendicular direction is applied to the magnetic disk driveto store data in the magnetic recording medium. This perpendicularmagnetic recording method may be more effective in comparison with anin-plane magnetic recording method (or horizontal magnetic recordingmethod) which is one of the conventional recording methods including onedisclosed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application 2007-66439, becausethe perpendicular magnetic recording method can provide an improvedrecording density of data in comparison with the in-plane magneticrecording method. Hence, when data stored in the magnetic disk drive isintended to be erased, because the magnetic disk drive may utilizeeither the in-plane magnetic recording method or the perpendicularmagnetic recording method and it cannot be determined which method isutilized only by looking its appearance, it has been needed to operate adata eraser to apply magnetic field being in the horizontal direction tothe magnetic disk drive or to apply extremely strong magnetic field, andthen further to apply magnetic field being in the perpendiculardirection to the magnetic disk drive.

Therefore, there has been needed to take a longer time and complexoperations to perform data erasing process for erasing date stored in amagnetic recording medium by using a conventional data eraser. Further,a large electric power has been needed to supply to an electromagnet togenerate magnetic field to be used for applying to the magneticrecording medium.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been made taking the above mentioned problemsinto consideration, and an object of the present invention is to providea magnetic data eraser (or a magnetizing apparatus or a degaussingapparatus) that is capable of performing data erasing process forerasing data stored in a magnetic recording medium such as a hard diskdrive (HDD) with ease and performing magnetic data erasing process withconsuming reduced electric power.

According to a first aspect of the invention, the above mentionedproblems are solved by providing a magnetic data eraser (or amagnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) that includes: holdingdrawer means for holding a magnetic recording medium which means has amounting tray for mounting the magnetic recording medium, wherein themounting tray is inclined a predetermined value of degrees of angle; andmagnetizing means for magnetizing the magnetic recording medium, whereinthe magnetizing means is configured to be covered by a magnetizing coiland has a hollow body portion, the holding drawer means being mounted inthe hollow body portion, and the magnetic recording medium being placedon the mounting tray of the holding drawer means.

Further, according to a second aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing the magnetic data eraser (ora magnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) in which the magneticrecording medium is a hard disk drive.

Further, according to a third aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing the magnetic data eraser (ora magnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) in which thepredetermined value of degrees of angle of which the mounting tray isinclined is between 10 and 70 degrees.

Further, according to a fourth aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing the magnetic data eraser (ora magnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) further includes ameasuring coil that is linked to the magnetizing coil and measuresmagnetic flux density excited by the magnetizing coil.

Further, according to a fifth aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing the magnetic data eraser (ora magnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) in which informationmeasured by the measuring coil is supplied to an external computer.

Further, according to a sixth aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing the magnetic data eraser (ora magnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) further includeslight emitting means for emitting light using electric current flowingthrough the measuring coil.

Further, according to a seventh aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing a magnetic data eraser (or amagnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) in which the lightemitting means is a light emitting diode.

Further, according to a eighth aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing a magnetic data eraser (or amagnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) which includes: a harddisk drive fixing tray that has a mounting tray for a magnetic recordingmedium, the mounting tray being inclined a predetermined value ofdegrees angle; and magnetizing means that is configured to be covered bya magnetizing coil and has a hollow body portion, the holding drawermeans being mounted in the hollow body portion, and the magneticrecording medium being placed on the mounting tray of the holding drawermeans.

Further, according to a ninth aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing a magnetic data eraser (or amagnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) in which the mountingtray of the hard disk drive fixing tray has holding means for holding afront-end portion of the magnetic recording medium of a predeterminedlength in a manner such that the hard drive is immobilized to keep itsposition and angle.

Further, according to a tenth aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing a magnetic data eraser (or amagnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) that includes: holdingdrawer means for holding a magnetic recording medium which means has amounting tray for mounting the magnetic recording medium, the mountingtray being inclined a predetermined value of degrees of angle;magnetizing means for magnetizing the magnetic recording medium, themagnetizing means being configured to be covered by a magnetizing coiland has a hollow body portion, the holding drawer means being mounted inthe hollow body portion, and the magnetic recording medium being placedon the mounting tray of the holding drawer means; capturing means forcapturing an image of the magnetic recording medium, which is providedin the holding drawer means; and storage means for storing an image thatis captured by the capturing means.

Further, according to an eleventh aspect of the invention, the abovementioned problems are solved by providing a magnetic data eraser (or amagnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) in which informationabout the image stored in the storage means is sent for user of themagnetic data eraser together with the magnetic recording medium.

ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, a magnetic data eraser (or amagnetizing apparatus or a degaussing apparatus) is provided, whicheraser is capable of performing data erasing process in which data ofmagnetic recording medium such as a hard disk drive (HDD) is erasedeasily and capable of performing the magnetic data erasing process withreduced electric power.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be understood more fully from the detaileddescription to be given herein below and from the accompanying drawingsof the preferred embodiment of the invention, which is not taken tolimit the invention to the specific embodiments but should be recognizedfor the purpose of explanation and understanding only.

In the drawings:

FIGS. 1 a-1 d are structure diagrams of a magnetizing apparatus formagnetizing a magnetic recording medium according to a first embodiment,wherein FIG. 1 a is a front view of the magnetizing apparatus, FIG. 1 bis a side view of the magnetizing apparatus, FIG. 1 c is a back view ofthe magnetizing apparatus, and FIG. 1 d is a top view of the magnetizingapparatus;

FIGS. 2 a-2 e are structure diagrams of a holding drawer mounted in themagnetizing apparatus for the magnetic recording medium according to thefirst embodiment, wherein FIG. 2 a is a front view of the holdingdrawer, FIG. 2 b is a side view of the holding drawer, FIG. 2 c is aback view of the holding drawer, FIG. 2 d is a top view of the holdingdrawer, and FIG. 2 e is a diagram showing a state in which a hard diskdrive is mounted on the holding drawer;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a magnetizing apparatus according to asecond embodiment of the present invention viewed from a front side;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the magnetizing apparatus according tothe second embodiment of the present invention viewed from a left side;

FIG. 5 is a perspective front view of a magnetizing apparatus accordingto a third embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a system accordingto the third embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating data structure which is used in thesystem according to the third embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Some preferred embodiments of the present invention will be explainedbelow with reference to attached drawings. Identical constituents aredenoted by the same reference numerals throughout the drawings.

(First Embodiment)

FIGS. 1 a-1 d are diagrams for explaining structure of a magnetizingapparatus (a magnetic data eraser) for magnetizing a magnetic recordingmedium according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1a is a front view of the magnetizing apparatus, FIG. 1 b is a side viewof the magnetizing apparatus, FIG. 1 c is a back view of the magnetizingapparatus, and FIG. 1 d is a top view of the magnetizing apparatus.

In FIGS. 1 a-1 d, the magnetizing apparatus 1 that also may serve as amagnetic data eraser for erasing date stored in the magnetic recordingmedium is configured to have a magnetizing coil (forming portion) 2 anda hollow body portion 3 to which a holding drawer (or a holding drawermeans) for holding a magnetic recording medium is accommodated ormounted, although the holding drawer will be discussed below in moredetail. The magnetizing coil 2 is made from a number of turns ofwinding, and ends of the winding (wire) are connected to an electriccurrent supply (not shown) via leads 4, 5. For example, although a flatwire or a square wire can be used as the winding, a usual copper wirecan be used as the winding. It should be noted that the holding drawermay serve as holding drawer means and hollow body portion 3 may serve asmagnetizing means.

The hollow body portion 3 is configured to have a volume which canaccommodate or hold the holding drawer, and the volume has dimensions,for example, having 110 mm in width, 133 mm in height, and 157 mm indepth. In the hollow body portion 3, magnetic field may be generated bythe magnetizing coil, and magnetic flux may be formed, for example, in adirection from the front side of the plane of the paper to the rearside, or in a direction from the rear side of the plane of the paper tothe front side. Further, magnetic flux density may be determined by aelectric current supplied to the magnetizing coil.

Further, a stopper 6 is attached to a front surface of the magnetizingapparatus 1 shown in FIG. 1 a via a screw 7 so as to prevent the holdingdrawer to be discussed below from being ejected to outer space of themagnetizing apparatus 1 by the magnetic flux, in particular to preventthe holding drawer being escaped beyond the front side of themagnetizing apparatus 1.

Further, 2-3 turns of a measurement winding (or a measuring coil) 8, themeasurement winding (or a measuring coil) being able to be used todetect magnetic field, may be wounded to cover the magnetizing coilforming portion 2 mentioned above. This measurement winding 8 may be acoil for detecting the magnetic flux density generated by themagnetizing coil forming portion 2, and detected data may be send to a(not shown) personal computer (PC) via leads 10, 11.

A light emitting diode (LED) 12, which may be served as light emittingmeans, can be activated to emit light by electric current passingthrough the measurement winding 8. This LED 12 may be mounted on anupper portion of the front surface of the magnetizing apparatus 1, asshown in FIG. 1 a, to indicate a evidence that magnetizing process is inprogress for a user of the magnetizing apparatus 1.

An upper surface and a bottom surface of the magnetizing apparatus 1 maybe composed of iron plates 9 a and 9 b, respectively, each of the ironplate 9 a and 9 b having a individual predetermined thickness, and themagnetic flux formed in the hollow body portion 3 may form a loop due toan effect of the iron plates 9 a, 9 b. The iron plates 9 a, 9 b aresecured to a body of the magnetizing apparatus 1 with screws 16.

On the other hand, FIGS. 2 a-2 e are structure diagrams of the holdingdrawer 13 mounted in the magnetizing apparatus 1. FIG. 2 a is a frontview of the holding drawer 13, FIG. 2 b is a side view of the holdingdrawer 13, FIG. 2 c is a back view of the holding drawer 13, FIG. 2 d isa top view of the holding drawer 13, and FIG. 2 e is a diagram showing astate in which a hard disk drive is mounted on the holding drawer 13.

As shown in FIGS. 2 a-2 e, a mounting tray 14 is attached to the holdingdrawer 13, and a hard disk drive is placed on the mounting tray 14. Themounting tray 14 is inclined predetermined degrees of angle, for example35 degrees, toward a bottom surface of the holding drawer 13, so themagnetizing apparatus 1 is configured that the hard disk drive (HDD)placed on the mounting tray 14 is inclined the predetermined degrees ofangle, for example 35 degrees, toward the magnetic flux generated thehollow body portion 3.

Further, an opening 15 is formed at a front surface of the holdingdrawer 13 and serves as a handle, a grip, or a knob while mounting theholding drawer 13 into the magnetizing apparatus 1. It is noted that theholding drawer 13 and the mounting tray 14 may be made of a solidmaterial, for example, plastic.

Although, in the above mentioned embodiment, the hard disk drive (HDD)is placed on the mounting tray 14 that is attached to the holding drawer13, it is possible that the hard disk drive (HDD) is fixed such that thehard disk drive (HDD) is inclined the predetermined degrees of angle,for example 35 degrees, toward the magnetic flux generated in the hollowbody portion 3.

When such the magnetizing apparatus 1 discussed above would be used toease magnetic data stored in a hard disk drive, at first, the holdingdrawer 13 should be drawn from the magnetizing apparatus 1, and then thehard disk drive would be placed on the mounting tray 14 as shown inFIGS. 2 b and 2 e. As discussed above, FIG. 2 e shows the state in whichthe hard disk drive has been placed on the mounting tray 14, wherein themounting tray 14 has dimensions that should be determined in accordancewith those of the hard disk drive which is magnetized in advance.

Next, the opening 15 may be used as the handle to mount the holdingdrawer 13, on which holding drawer 13 the hard disk drive is mounted, ata predetermined position within the magnetizing apparatus 1. This stepfor placement of the holding drawer 13 leads to a state in which a lowerportion of the front surface of the holding drawer 13 drops in behindthe stopper 6 to immobilize it within the magnetizing apparatus 1.

Next, in the state in which the holding drawer 13 on which the hard diskdrive has been mounted is embedded within the magnetizing apparatus 1,electric current may be supplied to the magnetizing coil 2 from a (notshown) electric current supply circuit to magnetize the magnetizing coil2, thereby forming magnetic flux in the hollow body portion 3 of themagnetizing apparatus 1. In the hollow body portion 3, magnetic fieldmay be generated by the magnetizing coil, and the magnetic flux may beformed, for example in a direction from the rear side of the magnetizingapparatus 1 to the front side, and may be reflected from the upper ironplates 9 a and the lower iron plate 9 b so as to from loop of themagnetic flux. Therefore, the magnetic flux may inject to the upper orlower surface of the hard disk drive and passes through the hard diskdrive at for example, a 35 degrees angle. It should be noted that valueof the angle is not limited to this value, but any value between 10-70degrees would be possible.

Because of this, the hard disk would be magnetized, and date stored inthe hard disk drive (HDD) may be erased. And because the magnetic fluxmay be passed through the hard disk drive at 35 degrees angle, it isensured that magnetic data stored in both of a hard disk drive (HDD)adopting perpendicular magnetic recording method and a hard disk drive(HDD) adopting an in-plane magnetic recording method (or horizontalmagnetic recording method) can be erased using the same one step processfor erasing the date stored in the hard disk drive efficiently.

Therefore, it is possible to erase data stored in the hard disk drive(HDD) easily, and it is also possible to reduce electric power forerasing the data. For example, the magnetic flux needed to perform suchthe data erasing process can be reduced to be about 7,000 Gauss whenabout 10000 Gauss is required for a field perpendicular to the media and14000 Gauss if the field is parallel to the media.

Further, during process for magnetizing the hard disk drive as discussedabove, the LED 12 may give off visual light upon receiving electriccurrent supplied via the measurement winding 8, therefore, a user of themagnetizing apparatus 1 can know the data erasing process is in progressin a visual way.

Further, the magnetic flux generated by the magnetizing coil 2 can bemeasured using a signal passing through the measurement winding 8, andinformation the results of the measurement may be received by a (notshown) personal computer (PC) to use for controlling a drive current tobe supplied to the magnetizing coil 2.

It should be noted that, although in the above description, the dataerasing process the for erasing data stored in the hard disk drive (HDD)is discussed as one of examples of the present invention, a magneticrecording medium should not be limited to hard disk drives (HDD).Further, although in the above description, the mounting tray 14 onwhich the hard disk drive (HDD) is placed is inclined at 35 degreesangle toward the magnetic flux generated the hollow body portion 3, itis allowable that the mounting tray 14 is configured such that themounting tray 14 and the magnetic flux generated the hollow body portion3 forms an angle of a predetermined value (predetermined values) ofdegrees between 10 and 70 degrees, or other value(s) of degrees.

Further, although in the above discussion, the hollow body portion 3 maybe configured to have dimensions having 110 mm in width, 133 mm inheight, and 157 mm in depth, the dimensions of the hollow body portion 3is not limited to have such the values, and further it is possible tomodify the dimensions of the mounting tray 14 in accordance with thesize and the shape of the magnetic recording medium that is to be placedon the mounting tray 14.

Further, in the embodiment discussed above, the hard disk drive (HDD) ismagnetized to erase data stored in the hard disk drive (HDD) using themagnetizing apparatus 1 having the magnetizing coil 2, it is allowablethat an AC degaussing apparatus that has a degaussing coil is used toperform a process for degaussing the hard disk drive

(HDD) to erase data stored in the hard disk drive (HDD).

(Second Embodiment)

A second embodiment of the present invention will be discussed below.

The second embodiment discloses an invention that provides otherconfiguration of a holding drawer that is to be mounted within themagnetizing apparatus 1 than those disclosed in the first embodiment,and in explanation of the present embodiment, a hard disk drive fixingtray (fixture) (or a holding drawer means) (herein after it will bereferred to as a “HDD fixing tray”) will be used instead of the holdingdrawer that has been discussed previously to hold a hard disk drive.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a HDD fixing tray according to thesecond embodiment of the present invention viewed from a front side.Further, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the HDD fixing tray accordingto the second embodiment of the present invention viewed from a leftside. In both of the figures, a mounting tray 21 is fixed to a HDDfixing tray 20, and a hard disk drive is placed on the mounting tray 21.The mounting tray 21 is inclined a predetermined value of degrees ofangle, for example between 10 and 70 degrees, toward a bottom surface ofthe HDD fixing tray 20, so the magnetizing apparatus 1 is configuredthat the hard disk drive (HDD) placed on the mounting tray 21 isinclined the predetermined value of degrees of angle, for examplebetween 10 and 70 degrees, toward the magnetic flux generated the hollowbody portion 3.

The mounting tray 21 may be secured to the front surface of the HDDfixing tray 20 by four screws 22 or to the back surface 23 of the HDDfixing tray 20 by four screws 23 (although in FIG. 4, only two of thefour screws 23 can be seen) so that the mounting tray 21 may be fixed tothe HDD fixing tray 20. Guide plates 25 a, 25 b may be placed at sidesof the mounting tray 21 in an upright position to prevent the hard diskdrive from shifting in position in a transverse direction.

Further, the HDD fixing tray 20 according to the present embodiment maybe provided with a pressure plate 26 (it may serves as holding means forholding a front-end portion of the magnetic recording medium of apredetermined length) to prevent the hard disk drive from going out ofthe mounting tray 21 due to a force which may be generated by magneticfield to be exerted on the hard disk drive (HDD) in the upwarddirection. The pressure plate 26 may be configured to have a length suchthat a front end portion of the upper surface of the hard disk drive(HDD) of about 10 cm is hidden under the pressure plate 26. Further, forexample, the pressure plate 26 may be made of stainless steel and have 2mm in thickness so that the pressure plate 26 has a sufficient rigiditycapable resisting the force which is generated by magnetic field to beexerted on the hard disk drive (HDD) in the upward direction.

It should be noted that the pressure plate 26 is not limited to have 10mm in length as in the example discussed above and is not limited tohave 2 mm in thickness as in the example discussed above so that it ispossible the pressure plate 26 may have a suitable thickness dependingon a material of which the pressure plate 26 would be made.

Further, a handle 27 may be formed on a front surface of the magnetizingapparatus 1 to be used for ensuring greater ease in mounting of themounting tray 21 into the magnetizing apparatus 1. In addition to thehandle 27, there may be two elastic members 28 that may be attached tothe front surface of the HDD fixing tray 20 and may have a function ofcushion, and the elastic members 28 would contact with a (not shown)front plate of the magnetizing apparatus 1, when the HDD fixing tray 20is subjected to a force generated by magnetic force.

To erase data stored in the hard disk drive (HDD) using a magnetic dataeraser including the magnetizing apparatus 1 that may be configured asdiscussed above, at first, the HDD fixing tray 20 would be drawn fromthe magnetizing apparatus 1, and then the hard disk drive would beplaced on the mounting tray 14 as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

Next, the handle 27 may be used to withdraw the HDD fixing tray 20 toplace the HDD fixing tray 20 to a predetermined position within themagnetizing apparatus 1.

Next, in the state in which the HDD fixing tray 20 on which the harddisk drive is mounted may be positioned within the magnetizing apparatus1, electric current may be supplied to the magnetizing coil 2 from a(not shown) electric current supply circuit to magnetize the magnetizingcoil 2, thereby forming magnetic flux in the hollow body portion 3 ofthe magnetizing apparatus 1. The magnetic flux may be formed, forexample in a direction from the rear side of the magnetizing apparatus 1to the front side, and may be returned via the upper iron plates 9 a,the lower iron plate 9 b or air so as to from loop of the magnetic flux.Therefore, because the hard disk drive may be placed on the HDD fixingtray 20 that would be mounted within the hollow body portion 3, themagnetic flux enters to the upper or lower surface of the hard diskdrive and passes through the hard disk drive.

Thus, the hard disk drive (HDD) may be magnetized, and data stored inthe hard disk drive (HDD) would be erased. Further, the hard disk drivewould be shifted in position in various directions because the hard diskdrive (HDD) receives a force that is generated by magnetic force towhich the hard disk drive (HDD) may be subjected. Although the shift ofthe hard disk drive due to the force in downward and transversedirections can be minimized by the bottom and side plates of themagnetizing apparatus 1, respectively, there may be no member to preventthe shift of the hard disk drive from occurring and thus there has beena problem associated with rising the hard disk drive (HDD).

However, the magnetizing apparatus 1 according to the present embodimentfurther may include the pressure plate 26 that would be configured to beplaced on or above the hard disk drive (HDD) so as to be able to preventthe hard disk drive (HDD) from being levitated. Further, the pressureplate 26 may be configured to have a suitable length and a suitablethickness to ensure to prevent the hard disk drive (HDD) from beinglevitated.

Further, although in the first and second embodiment discussed above,the holding drawer 13 and the HDD fixing tray 20 which include themounting tray for the magnetic recording medium would be mounted in themagnetizing apparatus 1 such that the mounting tray may be inclined apredetermined value of degrees of angle toward the magnetic fluxgenerated the hollow body portion 3 to erase magnetic data stored in notonly a hard disk drive (HDD) adopting an in-plane magnetic recordingmethod (or horizontal magnetic recording method) but also a hard diskdrive (HDD) adopting perpendicular magnetic recording method, it isallowable that the mounting tray may be placed in a horizontal positionand the magnetizing apparatus 1 may be inclined a predetermined value ofdegrees of angle toward the horizontal plane so that magnetic flux mayinject to the upper or lower surface of the hard disk drive and passesthrough the hard disk drive at certain degrees angle.

That is, the magnetizing apparatus 1 would be placed to be inclined apredetermined value of degrees of angle toward the horizontal plane andthe holding drawer 13 or the HDD fixing tray 20 including the mountingtray on the magnetic recording medium would be placed are mounted in themagnetizing apparatus 1 in a horizontal position to erase magnetic datastored in not only a hard disk drive (HDD) adopting an in-plane magneticrecording method (or horizontal magnetic recording method) but also ahard disk drive (HDD) adopting perpendicular magnetic recording method.In this case, the hollow body portion 3 of the magnetizing apparatus 1may be provided with a mounting guide that facilitate placement of theholding drawer 13 or the HDD fixing tray 20 in the hollow body portion 3of the magnetizing apparatus 1 in a horizontal position, and the holdingdrawer 13 or the HDD fixing tray 20 may be moved along the mountingguide to be mounted in the magnetizing apparatus 1.

Further, in the present embodiment discussed above, the hard disk drive(HDD) may be magnetized to erase data stored in the hard disk drive(HDD) using the magnetizing apparatus 1 having the magnetizing coil 2,it is allowable that a degaussing apparatus that has a degaussing coilcan be used to perform a process for degaussing the hard disk drive(HDD) to erase data stored in the hard disk drive (HDD).

(Third Embodiment)

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be explained.

In the present embodiment, a confirmation of completion of erasing datastored in hard disk drive (HDD), i.e., a magnetizing or a degaussing thehard disk drive, would be carried out by using an image sensor(capturing means for capturing an image of the magnetic recordingmedium) that is provided in the magnetic data eraser (or a magnetizingapparatus or a degaussing apparatus) for capturing an image of the harddisk drive (HDD).

FIG. 5 shows a magnetizing apparatus to which the image sensor 30mentioned above is installed. Specifically, the image sensor 30 isinstalled in the HDD fixing tray 20 to capture an image of the hard diskdrive (HDD) from above and behind, wherein the hard disk drive (HDD) issecured to the HDD fixing tray 20. A Charge Coupled Device (CCD) sensor,a Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) sensor, and the likecan be used as the image sensor 30, and a captured image captured by theimage sensor 30 would send to a control device to be explained referringto FIG. 6. Further, it would be applicable that the image sensor 30 isnot installed in the HDD fixing tray but provided at any position wherethe image sensor 30 can capture the image of the hard disk drive (HDD)from behind.

FIG. 6 shows a example of the control device to which the magnetizingapparatus 20 according to the present embodiment is connected, whereinthe control device may be, for example, a personal computer (PC) thatincludes a central processing unit (CPU) 31, a memory 32, an inputdevice 33, an output device 34, and a storage device 35, for example.Further, the memory 32 includes, for example, a Read Only Memory (ROM),a Random Access Memory (RAM), and the like, to store a program and datawhich would be used in processing. The program stored in the memory 32may be utilized to perform activation and/or operation control of themagnetizing apparatus 10 mentioned above, activation and/or operationcontrol of the imaging sensor 30, and the like. For example, anactivation signal for activating the imaging sensor (hereinafter thisarea may also be referred to as an “imaging sensor activation signal”)may be send to the magnetizing apparatus 1 to send an imaging signal forcontrolling imaging operation of the imaging sensor toward the imagingsensor 30 at a suitable timing.

Further, data about the image of the hard disk drive (HDD) captured bythe imaging sensor 30 would be stored in the storage device 35 (storagemeans for storing an image that is captured by the capturing means). Forexample, FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating data structure which is usedin the imaging sensor 30. As shown in FIG. 7, data stored in the imagingdevice 30 may have a storage area for user name of the correspondinghard disk drive (HDD) (hereinafter this area may also be referred to asa “user name area”), a storage area for date when data erasing operationfor erasing data stored in the hard disk drive (HDD) has been performed(hereinafter this area may also be referred to as a “date area”), and astorage area for linked addresses (hereinafter this area may also bereferred to as a “link address area”). Further, the storage area forlinked addresses stores information about addresses of the memory atwhich the captured image of the corresponding hard disk drive (HDD).

In an example shown in FIG. 7, for example, characters of “user name(0001)” that indicates a user of the corresponding hard disk drive (HDD)is stored in the storage area for user name (i.e., the user name area),characters of “2010.06.25” which indicates year, month and day of datewhen data erasing operation for erasing data stored in the hard diskdrive (HDD) has been performed is stored in the storage area for date(i.e., the date area), and characters of “2001” that indicates a linkedaddress at which the captured image of the corresponding hard disk drive(HDD) is stored in the storage area for linked addresses (i.e., the linkaddress area”) as discussed above.

In a further example, characters of “user name (0002)” that indicates auser of the corresponding hard disk drive (HDD) is stored in the storagearea for user name (i.e., the user name area), characters of“2010.06.26” which indicates year, month and day of date when dataerasing operation for erasing data stored in the hard disk drive (HDD)has been performed is stored in the storage area for date (i.e., thedate area), and characters of “2002” that indicates a linked address atwhich the captured image of the corresponding hard disk drive (HDD) isstored in the storage area for linked addresses (i.e., the link addressarea”) as discussed above.

Here, operations in the system (configuration) discussed above will beexplained.

At first, a hard disk drive (HDD) would be placed on the mounting tray21 of the HDD fixing tray 20, and the HDD fixing tray 20 would beinserted into the magnetizing apparatus. Then, the activation signal foractivating the magnetizing apparatus (hereinafter this area may also bereferred to as a “magnetizing apparatus activation signal”) would besent from the personal computer (PC) to the magnetizing apparatus tosupply electric current to the magnetizing coil 2 and to magnetize thehard disk drive (HDD) so that data stored in the hard disk drive (HDD)would be erased.

Next, the imaging sensor activation signal would be sent to the imagingsensor 30 to capture an image of the hard disk drive mounted on the HDDfixing tray 20 from above and/or behind. The captured image captured bythe imaging sensor 30 would be sent to the storage device 35 of thepersonal computer (PC) via a lead so as to be stored in the storagedevice. Further, it would be applicable that the image sensor 30 is notinstalled in the HDD fixing tray but provided at any position where theimage sensor 30 can capture the image of the hard disk drive (HDD) frombehind.

For example, as shown in FIG. 7, characters of “user name (0003)”identifies a user of the corresponding hard disk drive (HDD), andcharacters of “2010.06.27” would be written in the date area, if datewhen data of this hard disk drive (HDD) has been erased is Jun. 27,2010, as shown in FIG. 7. Further, information about address at whichthe captured image of the corresponding hard disk drive (HDD) is stored,for example, “0003”, would be stored in the link address area.

Further, in the similar way, a log of erasing operations for erasingdata stored in the hard disk drives (HDDs) may be kept together with thecorresponding captured images of the hard disk drives (HDDs)sequentially. Such the configuration of the system can have evidencethat data stored in the hard disk drive (HDD) has been erased, and canprovide a certificate of completion of erasing data stored in hard diskdrive (HDD) by sending the information about the captured image to theuser or by mailing the captured image together with the hard disk drive(HDD). That is, because information that can specify the correspondinghard disk drive HDD), for example, the serial number of the hard diskdrive (HDD) and the like, may be found in the captured image of the harddisk drive (HDD), it is possible to provide the certificate ofcompletion of erasing data stored in hard disk drive (HDD) has beenerased by mailing the captured image together with the hard disk drive(HDD).

Further, the magnetizing apparatus 1 includes a further light emittingmeans, for example a flash bulb, for irradiating light toward a targetobject whose image is to be captured by the capturing means. Thisfurther light emitting means uses electric current flowing through themeasuring coil 2 to irradiate light toward the target object, and atiming means in which the electric current supplied to the further lightemitting means functions as a trigger that causes the capturing means 30to capture the image of the target object. For this purpose, themagnetizing apparatus 1 may have a sensor.

What is claimed is:
 1. A magnetic data eraser, comprising: holdingdrawer means for holding a magnetic recording medium and including amounting tray for mounting the magnetic recording medium, the mountingtray being inclined a predetermined value of degrees of angle; andmagnetizing means for magnetizing the magnetic recording medium, themagnetizing means being configured to be covered by a magnetizing coiland having a hollow body portion, wherein the holding drawer means ismounted in the hollow body portion, the magnetic recording medium isplaced on the mounting tray of the holding drawer means, and themounting tray is inclined toward a bottom surface of the holding drawermeans.